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Alexa Boer Kimball

Publications and source records attributed to Alexa Boer Kimball.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Median dermatology base incomes in senior academia and practice are comparable, but a significant income gap exists at junior levels.

BACKGROUND: The perception that dermatologists in practice have substantially higher incomes than in academics is often cited as the primary reason people choose to practice outside academic institutions. OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare the incomes of dermatologists in academics versus various practice settings. METHODS: Data from various surveys of dermatologists from 2002 to 2004 were adjusted for annual inflation to the year 2004 and compared. Benefits and bonuses were not included. The income level of clinical instructors, who are 7.0% of all academic dermatology faculty, were not available for inclusion. RESULTS: Median dermatology faculty income (combined average of assistant, associate, and professor levels) was 192,267 dollars, 12.0% less than the median practice income of 215,303 dollars. There was substantial variation across regions, institutions, and types of nonacademic practice. Median starting incomes for dermatology residency graduates were comparable in practice across multiple data sources (182,116 dollars-200,000 dollars) and private universities (189,336 dollars); however, both were significantly higher than median starting incomes in public universities (83,349 dollars). LIMITATIONS: This study relied on self-reported data. Although all attempts were made to use comparable information, variances in how data were collected and classified may exist. CONCLUSIONS: Initial income for those entering practice is equivalent to those entering academia in private universities; however, incomes for both of these groups are 2- to 3-fold higher than those entering academia in public universities. This discrepancy may discourage some recent trainees, some of whom have high debt and high expenses, from entering the field of academic dermatology. Because incomes in academia increase predictably with increasing rank, overall self-reported incomes for established dermatologists in practice and senior academia are comparable.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed2006

Challenges facing academic dermatology: survey data on the faculty workforce.

BACKGROUND: There is a perception among many academic dermatologists that departments of dermatology face severe challenges with recruitment and retention of faculty. In an era when evidence points to a shortage of dermatologists and residency graduates have plentiful private practice offers in almost every geographic area, some fear that academic programs will face even steeper challenges attracting and keeping enough dermatologists on staff. METHODS: To compare the practice patterns of academic dermatologists with those of the dermatology workforce in other settings, data from the American Academy of Dermatology 2002 Practice Profile Survey were analyzed (1425 respondents, 35% response rate). RESULTS: The mean age of academic dermatologists (45.6 years) was younger than that of those in other practice settings (51.9 years solo practice, 49.0 years multispecialty group), and older age cohorts were significantly less likely to be working in academics (P < .001). Academic physicians were much more likely than those in solo practice or dermatology-only groups (62.2% vs 18.3%-39.4%) to report that their institution or practice was seeking new dermatologists. The average waiting time for new patient appointments varied from a low of 31.1 days in solo practices to a high of 55.9 days in academic practices. Academic dermatologists saw 32% to 41% fewer patients per week, but spent much more time (24.1 vs 5.5-8.6 h/wk) participating in research, hospital consults, medical writing, administrative activities, and teaching than dermatologists in any other setting. LIMITATIONS: Academic dermatologists reflected a relatively small proportion of survey respondents, and may not be representative of the nation's dermatology faculty (although the percentage of academics in the survey was similar to that in the overall workforce). Possible response biases could also have affected the survey results. CONCLUSIONS: The survey results identify a number of differences between the practice patterns of academic dermatologists and their colleagues in other settings, and suggest that academic departments of dermatology may be facing unique workforce challenges.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Assessing the role of race in quantitative measures of skin pigmentation and clinical assessments of photosensitivity.

BACKGROUND: Given the increasing demographic diversity in the United States, clarifying relationships between race, color, ethnicity, and disease processes is critical. OBJECTIVES: We sought to examine the correlation between objective measures of skin pigmentation, racial identification, and physician-diagnosed and self-reported skin phototypes. METHODS: A total of 558 participants (76 nonwhite) were evaluated. A subset underwent spectrometric readings and digital photography of the upper aspect of the inner arm. Self-identified race was compared with 7 measures of pigmentation. RESULTS: Race correlates best with physician-diagnosed skin phototype (r = 0.55, P < .01), whereas self-reported skin phototype, spectrometry, and colorimetry correlate poorly with race (r = 0.28, < 0.40, and r > -0.31, respectively, P < .01). Associations between race and subjective measures strengthen among patients with darker skin. CONCLUSION: Objective measures of pigmentation fail to correlate well with race, whereas race correlates moderately with physician-diagnosed skin phototype. Including objective methods of analyzing skin color may reduce subjective influences of race in assessing photosensitivity and potential risk for skin cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Etanercept improves the health-related quality of life of patients with psoriasis: results of a phase III randomized clinical trial.

In this randomized, double-blind, phase III trial, patients with psoriasis received etanercept for 24 weeks or placebo for 12 weeks followed by etanercept for 12 weeks. At week 12, improvement in Dermatology Life Quality Index was 47% to 61% with etanercept compared with 11% with placebo (P < .0001). Etanercept rapidly and substantially improved patients' health-related quality of life.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Generational differences in practice patterns of dermatologists in the United States: implications for workforce planning.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of age and other demographic factors on dermatologists' practice characteristics. DESIGN: Anonymous practice profile survey. PARTICIPANTS: Dermatologist members of the American Academy of Dermatology Association. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Analyzed survey questions included information about legal practice entity, geographic area served, weekly patient care hours, patients seen per hour, and scope of patient care activities. RESULTS: Of 4090 surveys sent, 1425 (35%) were returned. As the age of the cohorts increased, the percentage practicing in solo practices increased (range, 21%-39%), as did the percentage serving urban areas (range, 31%-46%). Measures of physician productivity increased in the older age cohorts; however, age was not a significant factor after controlling for other variables. More patient-hours per week were associated with male sex (P < .001), solo practices (P < .001), and non-urban-based practices (P = .04), whereas a greater number of patients per hour was associated with non-rural-based practices (P = .02) and male sex (P = .03). As the cohorts progressed in age, more time was spent practicing medical dermatology. The number of hours spent practicing cosmetic dermatology peaked in the 41- to 50-year-old cohort (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Practice patterns differ significantly among dermatologists of different ages. As the current cohorts age and new dermatologists emerge from training, changes in scope of practice and generational differences in productivity are likely to cause a contraction in the effective supply of dermatologists, which has important implications for dermatology workforce planning.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Risk factors associated with striae gravidarum.

BACKGROUND: Striae gravidarum (SG) is a poorly characterized but common disfiguring condition of pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: To better characterize the epidemiological factors associated with SG. METHODS: An anonymous survey administered at Stanford Ambulatory Clinics sampled 161 women who had given birth. RESULTS: Forty-eight-point-three percent of women with SG (43/89) versus 19.4% without SG (14/72) reported mothers with SG (odds ratio = 7.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.7, 18.6). Forty-seven percent of women with SG (42/89 women) versus 18.1% without SG (13/72) reported additional relatives with SG (odds ratio = 7.2, 95% CI 2.9, 18.2). Eighty-one percent of women with SG (68/84) versus 30.5% without SG (18/59) reported a history of breast or thigh striae (odds ratio = 8.6, 95% CI 3.8, 19.9). Forty-seven percent of women with SG versus 17% without SG were non-white (odds ratio = 4.2, 95% CI 1.9, 9.6). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a history of breast or thigh striae, family history, and race is significantly predictive of SG development.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2004

Efficacy of a jellyfish sting inhibitor in preventing jellyfish stings in normal volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the protective effects of a jellyfish sting inhibitor formulated in sunscreen lotion vs conventional sunscreen against Chrysaora fuscescens and Chiropsalmus quadrumanus jellyfish. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy subjects at 2 research sites were randomly assigned to receive the jellyfish sting inhibitor (Nidaria Technology Ltd, Jordan Valley, Israel) to one forearm and conventional sunscreen to the other arm in a blinded fashion. Subjects were stung with jellyfish tentacles on each forearm for up to 60 seconds. Erythema and pain were assessed at 15-minute intervals over a 2-hour period. RESULTS: In the C. fuscescens group, all 12 arms pretreated with conventional sunscreen demonstrated erythema, and all subjects noted subjective discomfort. In contrast, no arm pretreated with the jellyfish sting inhibitor had objective skin changes (P < .01). Two subjects noted minimal discomfort in the arm treated with the sting inhibitor (P < .01). In the C. quadrumanus group, discomfort was reported in 3 of the 12 inhibitor-treated arms compared with 10 of the 12 placebo-treated arms (P < .05). Erythema was noted on 1 arm treated with the inhibitor and 9 arms treated with the placebo (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The jellyfish sting inhibitor prevented sting symptoms of C. fuscescens jellyfish in 10 of 12 subjects and diminished the pain of the jellyfish sting in the remaining 2 subjects. The jellyfish sting inhibitor also inhibited the more severe sting of the C. quadrumanus jellyfish in the majority of subjects. The jellyfish sting inhibitor does not eliminate the sting from C. fuscescens or C. quadrumanus jellyfish but significantly reduces the frequency and severity of stings.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2003

Medication formulation affects quality of life: a randomized single-blind study of clobetasol propionate foam 0.05% compared with a combined program of clobetasol cream 0.05% and solution 0.05% for the treatment of psoriasis.

For topical medications commonly used to treat dermatologic conditions, outcomes may be affected by the choice of delivery vehicles. The aim of this study was to compare quality of life (QOL), effectiveness, user satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness of 2 clobetasol regimens for the treatment of psoriasis over 14 days. In a single-blind design, 32 patients randomized into 2 groups applied either clobetasol foam 0.05% to the skin and scalp or combination clobetasol cream 0.05% to the skin and clobetasol solution 0.05% to the scalp. Psoriasis severity was measured using the standardized Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and self-administered PASI (SAPASI). QOL was assessed via the EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D) questionnaire and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Cost-effectiveness was measured by the amount of medication used per body surface area (BSA) treated and by cost per point improvement in PASI score. In this study, a foam formulation performed better than a cream/solution combination by several measures. A greater absolute improvement in psoriasis severity was seen in the group using the foam than in the group using the cream/solution (mean decrease in PASI=5.0 vs 3.3, P=.05). The PASI score in the foam group decreased by 41% versus 35% in the cream/solution group (P=.17). In scalp psoriasis, the group using the foam had greater improvement in both absolute (P=.03) and percentage (P=.03) terms and than the solution group. When measuring global QOL, foam users had a significantly greater increase in EQ-5D than those using the cream/solution in absolute (P=.05, P=.02) and percentage (P=.04, P=.02) terms (first and second survey components, respectively). Differences in improvement of skin-specific QOL, quantified by DLQI scores between groups, were suggested but not statistically significant. Patients using foam spent less time applying medication compared with previous topical medications (P<.001). No significant difference in cost was appreciated between foam and cream/solution over the period after controlling for BSA (8.18 dollars vs 7.05 dollars per percentage BSA affected, P=.30).

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2002

Health disparities in arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases-the dermatology session: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, December 15-16, 2000.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases hosted a diverse group of physicians and scientists to discuss health disparities in arthritis, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases. This article discusses the cutaneous disease portion of the conference. Speakers described a history of scarce information on cutaneous diseases in skin of color, problems with the data that do exist, and inappropriate use of dermatologic data. Basic descriptive data on the structure and function of skin in people of color is needed. For specific cutaneous diseases, information must be collected on their epidemiology, clinical presentation, natural history, complications, and therapeutics. Researchers are standardizing methods for studying keloidal scars, and are developing and validating measurement tools for cutaneous diseases in skin of color, such as atypical nevi, psoriasis, and hand dermatitis, but more is needed.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Counter-regulatory balance: atopic dermatitis in patients undergoing infliximab infusion therapy.

Atopic dermatitis has been characterized as an autoimmune or auto-allergic phenomenon in which environmental allergens resembling human proteins activate auto-reactive T-cells to release pro-inflammatory cytokines of the T-helper 2 (Th2) cytokine profile (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13). Infliximab is a chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody that blocks the effects of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Infliximab has been shown to benefit greatly patients suffering from diseases associated with a Th1 profile (IL-1, TNF-alpha, and IFN-mu), such as psoriasis, Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Some researchers have suggested that disrupting the Th1-Th2 balance by downregulating Th1 cytokines may result in manifestations of Th2 disease. Consistent with this hypothesis, we present the cases of three patients who exhibited vivid manifestations of atopic dermatitis after the inception of infliximab induction therapy.

Adolescent↗